Super Bowl Countdown #9: Super Bowl XXVIII

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

The final edition of the quadruplicate of fail for the Bills. Aside from their Super Bowl against the Giants 3 years prior the Bills losses were all by double-digits. In this Super Bowl the Bills came out with purpose and stormed to a lead at halftime, but once again they got in their own way and made critical mistakes. Emmitt Smith was the star of the show, piling up the yards and putting Buffalo away in the second half. The Aftermath of Atlanta after the break.

Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

Semi-Lame Nickname: "We're Back America; Deal with It!"

Historical Significance- 4.5: This marked the first and only time in Super Bowl history the game was a rematch of the previous year. The Bills had to deal with a lot of media and fan scrutiny leading up to the game. People were eager to get on the Bill's case about their previous losing efforts. On the other side, the Cowboys were basking in the afterglow of their title the year before but the rumblings between Jerr-uh and Jimmy Johnson had begun to make their way into the public. This would be the final game JJ would coach for the Cowboys.

Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 3.5: The game started off with the feeling that Buffalo might have a chance in this one. However, the Cowboys scored 24 unanswered points and the Bills never held the lead once they gave it up in the 2nd half.

High Profile Element-5: By the time this game took place, everyone knew the cast of players that were involved. Jim Kelly had been successfully running the "K-Gun" offense for years. Kelly joined a lot of prestigious company for starting 4 Super Bowls but he is the only one to start 4 of them consecutively. The defense was still the team's weakness as it ranked 28th in the league in yardage. Despite that it still had players like Bruce Smith, Darryl Talley and Cornelius Bennett.

The Cowboys had the same attack it had been using with the strong running game of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin as the leading receiver. The offensive line led the way with Erik Williams, Nate Newton and the like. Russell Maryland was the anchor on defense.



You cannot stop Jim Lampley's early 90s hair, you can only hope it does not swallow you whole.

Venue/Atmosphere- 4: This was the first Super Bowl played in Georgia so the the Georgia carpet was rolled out in the pregame ceremonies with Charlie Daniels and Kriss Kross(how timeless!). Natalie Cole sang the anthem. The halftime was certain to dismiss all redneck stereotypes of the south by having country music stars Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and Wynonna Judd. Despite all this, it should be noted that the Georgia Dome is a great venue in Atlanta where the Peach Bowl and SEC Championship has been held recently.

Personal Enjoyment- 4: The game provided a real rooting interest for me in football when I was a young man of 13. I wanted to see the Bills win one finally. I had, as had everyone, watched them fall short the years prior but as in life, sometimes the deserving and suffering are not given what they have been waiting for.

Cleet's Rating Index: 21

Where I Was: I know I have given props to my Dad earlier in the countdown, but I have to say early on he realized that I had more of an attachment to sports than he ever did. By this time he would roll out the BBQ and wings to celebrate the big game, I always appreciated that.

What Happened in the World: Nine days before the game Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty for reasons of insanity for chopping off her husbands ding dong. I don't remember all the facts of the case but how do you argue a woman is not insane for chopping off a dude's manhood? Ouch babe.

Record of Note: The biggest record that cannot be ignored, Buffalo was the first team to lose four straight Super Bowls. Even though that is a record someone would never want top repeat, it probably will never be duplicated. As Bill Kent Hull said after the game, "In the immediate future we'll be thought of as losers, But one day down the road, when I'm no longer playing, they'll say, 'Wow, they won four straight AFC championships. They must have been good.'"

Game MVP: Emmitt Smith had 132 yards with 2 TDs on the ground.

LVP: Thurman Thomas. He said it himself after the game, "Dallas didn't wear us down in the second half, I fumbled. I cost us the game." Thomas fumbled in the 3rd quarter :45 seconds in and it was returned by James Washington for a TD. It was Thomas' 2nd fumble of the game which resulted in 10 Dallas points and the Bills would not score again.

Most Memorable Play: The drive after Thomas fumbled return for the Cowboys, Smith carried the ball 7 of 8 plays and capped it off with a 15 yard TD run that put Dallas up 20-13 and they would not look back.

NFL Fallout: The Bills have never been the same since this loss. Kelly and the entire cast from their Super Bowl run would soon fade away and it has led to the Bills not making a playoff appearance this current entire decade. They have not put their faith in....Chan Gailey. All Bills fans have now are the memories of the Super Bowl runs that never came to fruition. For the Cowboys they never had Johnson coaching for them again but Jerr-uh was able to sign some key free agents and have Switzer guide them to another title a couple years later.

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Super Bowl Countdown #10: Super Bowl XXX

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

As the countdown for the big game tomorrow reaches its conclusion, our Super Bowl Countdown is now into the top 10. This game stands out for me, two historic franchises renewing an old rivalry with plenty of colorful personalities on both sides. The Cowboys were the dominant team of the decade of this time. It was a great game but ultimately the Steelers made too many mistakes. The Old Duel in the Desert comes in at 10.

Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

Semi-Lame Nickname: "Take Me Higher"

Scores:
Historical Significance- 4.5: The teams were meeting for the third time in the big game which is currently the most rematches. The Cowboys and Steelers were vying for their 5th title each which would join the 49ers for the most after San Fran won the previous year. It would be 3 titles in 4 years for the Cowboys. This is a great intro to the game read by the masterful Dick Enberg, when he still had all his scruples.

Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 4.5: While the Cowboys put it away late it was hotly contested. The Steelers' formidable defense put up a valiant effort against the huge O-line and offensive playmakers Dallas possessed. It featured great big plays though, like Deion Sanders making a long catch down the field. Quick side note, this was the height of Sanders' arrogance. If you remember he won the title with San Francisco the year before and then bolted for Dallas. When he was interviewed after the game with the trophy he quipped, "They didn't let me hold this last year." Taking a shot at your former team after you just one the championship, sometimes the most talented men can be the most insecure. There was also a great onside kick by Cowher in the 4th quarter that helped the team pull within 3.

High Profile Element-4: The Cowboys had much of the same cast that had brought them their prior success. NFL Free Agency had just become a reality in the league and the way personnel decisions were being made was about to change. Deion Sanders was an indication of the fluid nature of player moves to come. He was on his 3rd team in 3 years. The rest of the Cowboys backfield was just as impressive with Darren Woodson, Larry Brown(remember the name?), and Brock Marion. Charles Haley was along for his 5th Super Bowl title. The offense included the usual cast of characters, but again the huge line was the catalyst in that it gave Aikman time to dissect the defense and huge holes for Emmitt Smith to run through(or "runulate his game stratatics" as Emmitt would call it). They were led Pro Bowlers Larry Allen, Mark Tuinei, Nate Newton, and Ray Donaldson.

The Steelers embodied their coach. Bill Cowher had taken over in 1992 and despite early success Pittsburgh could not get to the big game in his first few playoff attempts. The Steelers survived the AFC Championship after a Hail Mary attempt by Jim Harbaugh almost was completed in the endzone. However, after this game the reputation of falling short in the playoffs would follow Cowher until he was able to lead the Steelers to the win in Super Bowl XL. Neil O'Donnell(I wonder how those in Pittsburgh feel about old Neil nowadays) led the offense, that was headlined by bruiser Bam Morris and quicker back Eric Pegram. Wide receiver Yancey Thigpen(great football name) was a pro-bowler on the outside. The defense was where this team made their bones though. Linebackers Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd(a true beast) were the havoc-makers on defense. Carnell Lake and Rod Woodson led the defensive backfield.

Venue/Atmosphere- 3.5: Arizona had been denied the Super Bowl a few years earlier because of their inability to recognize MLK day. This was the last Super Bowl to be played on a college campus and in a stadium that had bleacher seats. Oh bleacher seats, what a marvel of stadium technology. The pregame show consisted of a tribute to Native Americans and the Old West. Interesting that they provided a juxtaposition of the old culture of this country next to the present culture that wiped it out. Vanessa Williams sang the national anthem and Diana Ross performed the halftime show. Divas everywhere.

Personal Enjoyment- 4: By this point, I had grown tired of the Cowboys. There are a lot of Cowboys fans everywhere, but in Charlotte there are a ton. Perhaps just as many of them as Panther fans. This year was the first in existence for the Panthers so Cowboy fans felt it was their duty to point out this was how it is done in the National Football League(/Jaws). Therefore I was hoping the Steelers would pull it out.

Cleet's Rating Index: 20.5

Where I Was: I was in my first year of high school at this point. High School is an important stage for a young person's development; it is time to get a little more mature and start figuring out who you are. Just like your personal development is beginning so too is your sports acumen. You begin to see things in the game aside from the obvious and deciding what you really like and dislike about sports.

What Happened in the World: Two days before the game, Hillary Clinton testified before a grand jury for her involvement with the Whitewater scandal. Those Clintons had quite a ride didn't they?

Record of Note: This was the first Super Bowl to present the trophy to the owner of the team and coach on the field. I remember this one because as Barry Switzer held the trophy and passed it to Jerr-ah, he yelled out like Corky, "WE DID! WE DID! WE DID!" I always thought that was amusing.

Game MVP: Larry Brown became the first cornerback to win the MVP award. This was based on his two interceptions of Neil O'Donnell, which as you see below consisted of him standing there and the ball hitting him right in his hands. Brown went on to sign a big free-agent contract with the Raiders and have little production.




LVP: Neil O'Donnell came into the game with the fewest interceptions per pass attempt in league history. Whoops. The 3 interceptions O'Donnell threw sealed his fate in Super Bowl lore and led to his release by the Steelers in the off-season. Neil signed with the Jets but never became effective again.

Most Memorable Play: The surprise onside kick still sticks out in my mind if we want to remain positive and ignore that last pick by O'Donnell. NFL films has a great exchange of Cowher and his coaches planning the onside kick after the late field goal.

NFL Fallout: The Steelers would continue to have success under Cowher but did not reach the Super Bowl again for ten years. The Cowboys began a slow slide into mediocrity after this win. The members of the team were eventually lost to free-agency or old age. The Cowboys would not win another playoff game after 1996 until their victory over the Eagles in this year's playoffs.

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Super Bowl Countdown #12: Super Bowl XXVII

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

The Cowboys returned to glory at the expense of the Bills. Puffy Starter jackets for everyone! Although this game was a blowout, it stands out very vividly in my mind and had great plays, personalities, and laid the foundation for an epic rematch the next year. The Pasadena Pounding is next.

Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

Semi-Lame Nickname: "How Bout 'Em?"

Scores:
Historical Significance- 4: The Cowboys had not sniffed the Super Bowl in 15 years, the Bills were back for a third helping. The Cowboys were favored by 6.5. Both teams featured prolific offenses but again the defense was the difference. The teams would be ultimately be linked for their back-to-back duels in the Super Bowl.

Game Enjoyment by the Fans- 3: The game was not close, but there are a lot of Cowboy fans throughout the land and the prolific return to dominance by Dallas increased the momentum of the NFL becoming the country's top sport. I would never and will never call Dallas "America's Team" but a lot of people out there care how this team does each year.

High Profile Element- 4.5: The names have reputations that precede them: Jimmy Johnson, Marv Leavy, Aikman and Kelly(both HoFs), Thurman Thomas and Emmit Smith, Andre Reed and Michael Irvin, Bruce Smith and Charles Haley, and the list goes on.

Dallas beat the 49ers in the NFC title game that would signal the reversal of fortune for the Cowboys in reverse that they got after the 1981 "The Catch" game. Buffalo meanwhile staged the epic comeback against the Houston Oilers led by Frank Reich. Kelly and Thomas were out for both playoff games until the Super Bowl.

Venue/Atmosphere- 4.5: As the BCS title game showed us last month, the Rose Bowl is a great place to watch championship football. The Rose Bowl received the bid after Arizona lost out thanks for their inability to get the MLK holiday passed in a timely manner. Garth Brooks sang the national anthem, does anybody remember when he came out with that alter ego Chris Gaines? Yeah that's when the country collectively realized Brooks had lost it. The halftime show featured the one and only Michael Jackson. Creepy as he was, Jackson pulled in more viewers than the actual game.

Awesome note about the aesthetic quality of the game: O.J. Simpson did the coin toss, awesome.

Personal Enjoyment- 3.5: Again despite the margin of defeat this was the first we saw of the 1990s Cowboys on the big stage and the Bills were now familiar with everyone, but not in a good way.

Cleet's Rating Index: 19.5

Where I Was: I was 12 but did not possess a Starter Jacket. I was rooting for the Bills, but had not developed any annoyance at Dallas or their fans that I have now.

What Happened in the World: Five days after the game, Belgium became a federal state instead of a kingdom. The world was forever changed.

Record of Note: The Bills had 9 turnovers, they turned the ball over NIIIIIIINE times, which was a record.

Game MVP: Troy Aikman won the MVP. 273 yards and 4 TDs, the Bills defense never had a chance.

LVP/Most Memorable Play: Nate Newton. The Bills did play horribly but everyone remembers this play by Don Beebe when Newton got a little premature with this celebration.



NFL Fallout: The two teams would meet again in Atlanta the next year in which both teams would be labeled as they were after this game; Dallas as the 90s dynasty, and the Bills as 4 in a row Super Bowl losers. Jimmy Johnson also became the first coach to win a Super Bowl and a college football national title. Who did he win the title with in college? U already know.

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T.O. Signing Makes Sense For the Bills

We've discussed Terrell Owens before, and Cleet asserts he's a punk, but here I come riding on white alabaster steed to once again defend the monster that HYPE created. When TO was released, people were beboppin and scattin all over the place. The nation declared they didn't want him on their team, but rest assured everyone was also hoping he wouldn't go their rival. He's being made out as a QB Killer, but let's take a look back.

Jeff Garcia was a backup in the CFL just a few years before signing a 6-year $36 million dollar contract following a breakout year in which Owens was his primary receiver. Garcia completed more than 62% of his passes and threw for over 3300 yards during his three full seasons as quarterback in San Fran. Garcia has never surpassed the 3000 yard mark, and didn't complete 62% of his passes again until 2007, the same year he went back to the Pro Bowl after three trips with the 49ers (and Owens as his primary target). When Garcia was cut by the Niners due to salary cap issues, he turned around and signed a 4-year $25 million contract with the Browns. after disagreements with management, Garcia was released and signed a 1-year $2 million contract with the Lions. From there he would go to the Eagles on another 1-year deal, before signing with the Buccaneers for 2-years and $7 million.

When TO arrived in Philadelphia, Donovan McNabb had already signed a monstrous contract, but was still hounded by critics, who pointed out he had yet to complete 60% of his passes for a season. In 2004, the year both TO and McNabb were healthy, he completed 64% of his passes and threw 31 touchdowns, both career highs. Had the Eagles not made the Super Bowl that season and given McNabb's injuries the following years it's not unreasonable to think that he and his elite contract would have been jettisoned.

In October of 2007, Tony Romo signed a 6-year, $67.4 million dollar contract after having moderate success (6-4), but with Terrell Owens as his primary target. Now, just two full seasons later, there are considerable questions about Romo's ability to perform in clutch situations.

What does all of this mean? Terrell Owens, "the quarterback killer" has helped two quarterbacks get monster contracts, and helped another preserve one. Jeff Garcia signed $61 million worth of contracts while and immediately after having TO as a primary target, but hasn't been paid 1/3 of that in subsequent contracts. Perhaps TO could come kill my quarterbacking career.

This is not to excuse all of the things that have gone on with TO. Terrell and bizarre press conferences go together like NASCAR and cheap domestic beer, but people need to recognize that the media has launched a one-man equivalent of the Red Scare. What's worse: TO being too candid about rumors of Jeff Garcia's sexuality or Jeff Garcia driving while having a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit? For the record, Steve Young faced a lot of the same rumors as Garcia, but he still managed to get the monkey off his back, without driving drunk. What's worse TO feuding with management in Philadelphia or Jeff Garcia feuding with management in Cleveland or Donovan McNabb saying he won't re-sign unless the team's improved? What's worse: TO calling out Donovan McNabb or Donovan McNabb calling out his receivers and management on his blog? Everything TO has done has been done (or worse) by someone else in the league, but HYPE focuses on TO because he's such a galvanizing force.

Owens's release by the Cowboys was a salary cap move and nothing more. It would be irresponsible to keep two high priced wide receivers while neglecting to fill other team needs. Jerry Jones had committed several draft picks to the younger Roy Williams, so releasing Owens made sense. Twisting this to be anything more is just the newest contortion of the truth by people in the media and fans alike.

Now, why does bringing Terrell to Buffalo make sense for the Bills? This is a struggling team in a struggling market. For the first time in a long time they have national relevance, and with very little risk attached. If TO is the malcontent that many will have you believe, he can be cut with no longterm cap implications. With the recent economic downturn having a star attraction (and a new one at that) cannot be overstated for a team and a city like Buffalo. He'll make selling advertising, merchandise, and tickets all easier. TO needs to do well in Buffalo, but Buffalo needs him to do well even more.

From certain individuals, we love candor. From others we despise it. TO falls into the second category for most fans, but his "transgressions" that have earned him this reputation pale in comparison to many of his fellow professional athletes. For some reason, a thoughtless phrase is more damning than a thoughtless act in today's society. Nothing Terrell has ever done approaches the level of despicableness of Jason Richardson's recent arrest, but every move TO makes is scrutinized at a level that virtually no other professional athlete can comprehend (and that's saying something in this day and age).

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Point-Counterpoint: The Latest Installment of Terrell Owens

Following the Dallas Cowboys' 26-24 loss last Sunday to the Washington Redskins, Wide Receiver Terrell Owens displayed his apparent discontent at the direction of the offense in terms of getting him the ball. Catfish and I discussed this issue and found we have diverging views. While I contend that this is just another selfish act by a player notorious for this kind of behavior, Catfish says T.O. is actually putting team first and protecting his quarterback and his team following a tough loss. Once again we sqaure off our opposing views in Point-Counterpoint.

Cleet
Point: Business as usual for Owens
I have 25 million reasons to make this argument. Should anybody really be surprised that only a week after Terrell put on the good teammate show following the win in Green Bay he would turn 180 after the Cowboys lost? Owens said he had no problem with how much he was involved as long as Dallas was winning, but now after a 2 point loss to a solid team he is crying about getting the ball. The person who should be throwing a fit if anyone is Marion Barber. Barber only carried the balls 8 times in the game, only 7 more than Owens. Terrell was thrown to on a third of Dallas' offensive plays, ending with 7 catches for 71 yards and a TD. Romo put the ball up 47 times, way too much for the Cowboys. This is what got them into trouble last year when they lost, they lose their balance and begin dropping Romo back over and over again. Jason Campbell, the winning QB, only threw the ball 31 times as the Redskins controlled the ball and kept their defense fresh.

Owens' demand for more balls thrown his way is just another reaction after a loss by a man who has the physical prowess of superman, but the mental faculties of a 9 year-old. Haven't we seen this act before? The 49ers, T.O. isolates himself from Mariucchi and Jeff Garcia and takes off to Philly. The Eagles have success even with T.O. blasting his offensive coordinators on the sidelines and drawing all the attention to himself, but after losing the Super Bowl, Owens throws Donavan McNabb under the bus after McNabb was the backbone of the NFC Champion team. Granted, Owens and Romo have a better relationship(for now) than Owens had with Garcia or McNabb, but how long will it last? If the Cowboys stumble more this season, T.O. could again become the focus of all the media in Dallas; Ed Werder will again take up residence in Valley Ranch and Pedro Gomez might even be flown in. I think Terrell has found he can push on Wade Phillips, Tony Romo, and Jason Garrett, but if he continues to whine after every loss, he might get the boss involved, and I think Jimmy Johnson will tell you that when you get into it with Jerry Jones, Jerry has no qualms about establishing his dominance by getting rid of you.

It is not completely that Owens is just so selfish he values his catch total more than winning a game, it's that he truly believes he is the most important person on the field at any given time. His actions would never be tolerated were not for his talent and that is a big part of the problem. No matter how ridiculous T.O. has acted, there has been a team that has paid for his services. Remember this Cowboy fans?


At that point you probably blustered that T.O. would never be welcome in Big D. What a horrible teammate right? Who would want a guy that cares more about his own glory than the team he is paying for? But yet, when he became available and the Cowboys signed him, it was popcorn time in Dallas. That is the problem, teams and fans keep enabling this sort of behavior from Owens, so why would he ever think it was not ok? He and his entourage have made money doing it so why be surprised when he talks and acts like this when things do not go his way.

Catfish may argue that Owens is finally in a good situation and has turned the corner and wants to be a team player and help his quarterback. But I see the same sad play unfolding; like T.O. once said, "if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...".

Catfish
Counterpoint: I am the Target
Cleet is confused, but maybe this picture will help. Contrary to my colleague's assertion TO is not one of the nine year-olds being lectured by a random NFL player who out of the kindness of his heart is giving of his time and money to make a difference in the lives of America's youth. There is no doubt that TO has had some "incidents" in the past, but TO respects Jerry Jones and Tony Romo and I do not see this latest outburst as the unfolding of a story we've seen before.

Exhibit A: In 2006, Terrell wrote a children's book in which he espouses the importance of sharing. "Little T Learns to Share." Tiki Barber was critical of the book which, in my mind, gives my argument even more credibility. With everyone agreeing that TO now appears faster by fine tuning his body, why can people not accept that he has fine tuned his mental approach as well? TO plays on emotion, it's a part of what make him an impact player. He wants to win, and sometimes he has post game outbursts of frustration, but that does not mean that he is looking to tear down Tony Romo.

Exhibit B: In 2006, TO was fined $35,000 for spitting in the face of then Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Wait, Catfish, did you forget what side of the argument you're on? Nay nay, my friends. The only reason he was fined was because he admitted it. The officials had not seen it and it had not been caught on tape, like previous spitting incidents. TO was forthright about the situation even though it risked a fine and a suspension.

Exhibit C: Also in 2006, TO vented following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, unleashing a tirade and asking why the Cowboys even signed him. Despite the outburst occurring behind closed doors (gotta love rats), again TO acknowledged it.

But Catfish, what about that disingenuous apology to the Eagles and Donovan McNabb?

Exhibit D: In his autobiography Owens admitted that he was strongly urged to make the statement, but that it was nto sincere.

So members of the jury, I ask you: Why should we not believe TO when he says he didn't demand a meeting with his QB about his role in the offense, as the Four Letter reported? Why should we not accept his explanation that he was frustrated by the loss and venting? Why should we believe that he's trying to tear down his QB, when he never said "he" or "Tony Romo?" The lazy sports media thirst for every TO soundbyte and perceived outburst. On ESPN his game film was being broken down and he was being criticized by Keyshawn Johnson. The same Keyshawn Johnson that TO was brought in to replace in Dallas. Is it a leap in logic at all to see that Keyshawn may have an axe to grind? No, it isn't. TO is not perfect, but he states his opinions clearly and owns up to his mistakes, so why would he suddenly start vaguely ripping Tony Romo if that was his objective? Quite simply, because it was not his motivation. TO has put himself between the media and his team once again, but this time it was to shield a young quarterback from controversy. Terrell Owens is on the field to be a target, and he protected his quarterback and his team by once again making himself the target. Jurors I beg of you, do not fall for the trap that ESPN and others have set for you. See past it, to the truth. TO wants to be a Cowboy and he wants to win with Tony Romo as his quarterback. I beg of you, don't be asses, TO enjoys catching Romo TD passes.

The defense rests.

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DeSean Jackson Does his Leon Lett Impersonation in Wild MNF Classic

The game started off innocently enough, a David Akers field goal 4:16 into he first quarter. After that, all hell broke loose. The Cowboys truck right back with a Romo to T.O. 72 yard bomb and the scoring did not stop. In the end, the Cowboys had more ammunition and took down the win 41-37.

DeSean's folly came after what was a beautiful hook-up with McNabb in the second quarter. DeSean broke away from the Dallas defenders and flipped the ball behind his back and broke into his dance. Turns out he was not actually in the endzone when he dsicarded said ball. There is a DeSean mustard joke in here somewhere, but I just can't place it. Jackson's error did not ultimately cost his team the TD, since the refs gave the Eagles the ball back on the 1 and Brian Westbrook took it in. Jackson did have over 100 yards receiving and it looks like has solidified his place as one of the Eagles wide receivers and most electrifying players in the league. Romo recovered from an early INT and fumble in his own endzone by throwing for 312 yards and 3 TDs. McNabb played well himself going for 281 and a TD, he seems to be healthy and has a bravado that hasn't been seen from him in awhile. The game certainly lived up to the hype as these two teams figure to be in the race for the NFC title.

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